System of water-level indication for boilers.



I w. H. WiNSLOW. SYSTEM OF WATER LEVEL INDICATION FOR BOILERS.

APPLICATION HLED MAR- 8.1912.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

II II II II II ll H Eva 4Z0?" I ZdzkZZ LIZ Zdtzuslow 5y flifior'n/ega WILLIAM H. wIN sLow, OF CHICAGO, ILL DEvIoEscoIvIPANY, or CHICAGO, ILL

INOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE STEAM rowan mo s, A. CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

SYS'I'EIVIOF WATER-LEVEL' INDI GATION FOR BOILERS.

at aces.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM H. 'l/VINSLOW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Systems of Water- Level Indication for Boilers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the 210- V companying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved'system of water level indication for boilersby which -a comparatively small difference in the level of the water in the boiler produces a relatively large changein the indication of the indicating mechanism, and furthermore by my invention the indic'atingmechanism may be placed at a point remote from the boiler itself and the changes in level in the boiler accurately indicated by said indicatingmechani'sm. I

My invention further consists in novel devices for use with a steam boiler so that the level of the water therein may be more effectively indicated than by means of the ordinarywater vgageiheretofore used in the art. "My system'ofwater level indication and the dcvicesspecially adapted for use therewith may be employed in connection.

with water level boilers generally andparticularly with any type of boiler in which the changes inlevelare required to'be great and in which the amount of water contained in the boiler is relatively small and .where' the heating zone extends above the-water level, such for example, as automobile boilers.

The several drawings illustrating my invention are as follows: 7

Figure 1 shows diagrammatically in plan view aboiler provided with devicesfor indicating the level of-the water in the boiler in accordance with my system.

Fig. '2 shows diagrammatically in side View 'the parts indicated .in Fig. 1, and in this figure in addition there is shown a means forsupplying water to the boiler: I

Fig. 3 shows in detail elevation agage'for indicating the :level of the water.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown in Figs. '1 and2,the boiler consists' of a plurality of sets of tubes-1, 2,3, 74:, 5, 6, each set extending ber an-"een. vertical end Specification of Letters Patent. Patentedsept. 17,1918- App1icationfi1ed.March8, 1912. Seria1 No.682,528. i I

headers as shown for the tubes (S at 7 and'S,

extending over the fire beneath the boiler tubes. The superheater 14; is connected by a pipe 15 with a metal chamber- 16 in the right hand end of which there is securely threaded a heat responsive element .17 connected with a flexible con'ducting medium 18 to agage 19 mounted in convenient position for observation, which, in 'thedrawings, is assumedto be upon the dash-board of an automobile,-the boiler being of a type adapted for use In connection with such "a machine. The detail construction of the heat responsive element 17 and its connecting mechanism 18 tothe gage 19, isnot shown in detail,as devices of this kind are known in .theart, and since the gage 19 is constructed 1 111 a manner well known in the art so that changes of pressure exerted upon it will move a pointer 21, shown in Fig. 3, proportionately .tosaid pressure, which, for t-helconstruction indicated, is communicated to the gage through a small boretube constituting, for the construction shown, the conducting medium 18, such tubeibeingin communication with a bodyflof fluid contained in. the heat responsive member 17, suchfluid having a high coeflicient of expansion, as, forexample, mercury. As aresult, when the body 17 is subjected to an increase in thetemperature, the-fluid. expands and pressure-is oommunicated through the small tube to the gage 19 and the pointer 21 isrotated to indicate the increased temperaturein the chamber;16. The chamber16 hasextending from its lower surface, .a-tube 22 supported 'bya bracket 23 from a'bar24c, forminga part of the structure of the vehicle,.and this tube is connected by a coupling25 withjarpipe 26 leading to the. engine-to boiler; V

The water header 10 is connected by pipe 27 through a two way valve 28;;with' a supply pipe 29 extending through check valve 30 to a water pumpl3l operated by means eta Ipiston. The salve-.28 i also be driven by the connected by a by-pass pipe 33 with the water supply pipe 34 connected through a check valve 35 with the pump 31. rVhen the valve lever 36 is in the position indicated in the full lines, the operation of the ump 31 forces water through the pipe 29, the valve 28, and the pipe 27 into the water header 10, to thus raise the level of the water in the boiler, and when the valve 36 is moved to the position indicated in dotted lines, communication between the pipe 29 and the pipe 27 is interrupted and the pipe 33 is placed in communication with pipe 29, thus permitting the water delivered from the pump 31 to bypass into the supply pipe 34.

As previously explained, the water level need not remain at any fixed height, and in fact during generation of steam there is no determinable water level. This is not detrimental but isin fact beneficial in generating steam as it permits of the peculiar steam generating action which is proper to this type of boiler, permitting the boiler to be worked with a variable water content. The entire boiler both above and below the surface of the water is exposed to the furnace heat. This permits of a transfer of heat to the steam in proportion to the amount of steam heating surface that is exposed. This transfer of heat to the steam effects drying and superheating to a greater or less degree, hence a variation of water content does not affect the character of the operation carried on in the boiler, but affects only the degree. If the water content is high there is less steam heating surface and the steam will have less superheat, or will be more wet, as the case may be, and if the water content is low there is more steam heating surface and the steam will be more dry, or will have more superheat for the $211116 gage PTGSSHIG.

When the boiler prov1ded with the indicating device above described is operated steam is delivered from the various sets of tubes to the steam header 9 and thus through the throttle12, to the superheating coil 14 and through the chamber 16 to the engine. hen the level of the water in the boiler is raised there is a greater tendency of the water to prime, and this results in a small amount. of water being carried over with the steam to the superheating coil 14, as a result of which the steam is not heated as hot as for a somewhat lower level of the water in the boiler. This decrease in temperature is communicated through the devices 17 and 18 to the gage 19 which responds by motion of the pointer 21 around to the left to show that the water in the boiler is higher than normal. A the level of the water increases the amount of water carried over with the steam increases 'due to the decrease of steam heating surface,

and the pointer 21 is moved still farther around to the left owing to the capacity of the super-heater being to a degree overcome by the water in. the steam. As a result of the indication afforded, the valve lever 36 is moved to a position to interrupt communication between the pipes 27 and 29 and to by-pass the water pumped, through the pipe 33, for which condition the water level in the boiler drops and the pointer 21 moves around to the right to a corresponding degree Then the water level. in. the boiler drops below its normal position, the tendency for the water to prime is much decreased due to the increased steam heating surface and very little water is carried over from the steam header 9 into the pipe 13, as a result of which the steam delivered from, the superheating coil 14 is much hotter than before, and thi condition is communicated by the devices 17 and 18 to the gage 19, and when the water becomes very low, the pointer 21 moves around to the right to its position indicating For this condition, the valve lever 36 is moved to the position shown inv Fig. 2 to again establish connnunication between the pump 31 and the water header 10, cutting off communication with the by-pass 33.

I have not described the boiler-construction shown herein in detail as it forms the basis of a number of copending applications including the following: Serial No. 841,445, filed May 28th, 1914, Serial No. 859,157, filed August 29th, 1914, and Serial No. 656,179, filed October 23rd, 1911. With this type of boiler it is to be borne in mind that the circulation of the water is very rapid and that the expression water level is only a relative one particularly when the boiler-is used'in connection. with automobile work, since the agitation of the waterand its strong circulating action changes the upper surface from level condition to an irregular and inclined condition which is somewhat higher in the headers 7 from what it is in the headers 8 and therefore the gage 19 may be regarded as an indicator of the quantity of water in the boiler whether the upper .surface of the water is level or not. However, for conditions which permit the establishment of strict water level, the gage 19 is equally effective for indicating the level for the same reasons pointed out above.

The rapid circulation of the water in the boiler constructed as indicated above is a direct result of the tubes being relatively small and numerous and as the quantity of water contained in the boiler is decreased the agitation and circulationof the water the low water mark. 7

becomes more marked, until for an amount I of water which is barely suflicient to fill the lower tubes, the circulating action is so violent as to produce a species of water hammer giving out from the boiler a creek not give heed to the visible indication given by the gage 19. As pointed out in my copending applications above referred to, the separate boiler units consisting of the tubes connected at their ends with headers 'Z and 8, are in effect single, homogeneous structures, since they are secured together by boiler mav bevery small without any damage at'all, and in fact the water mav be entirely evaporated and the tubes overheated without in any way interfering with the normal operation of the boiler as soon as the other cooperating parts are in condition to again supply water to the boiler. As further pointed out in my copending application referred to, each boiler unit comprises two circulatory systems, one of whichicontains the water to be heated and transformed into steam and causesits rapid circulation through the tubes in order to bring it effectively into contact with the portions of the tubes heated by the fire. The other circula- 1 tory system, which intimately cooperates with the waterheating system, serves to receive the steam from the water-heating system and separate from it the entrained water, which water is either returned to the water-circulatory system, or, if it be of but small quantity, is turned into steam by the heat communicated to the tubes of the steam-separating system. These two circulatory systems, as pointed out, are of varying extent, the dividing line between the two being determined by the quantity of water in the boiler. It is to be understood that the tubes both above and below the water level are heated to a comparatively high temperature. It isobvious, of course, that the pump 31 must have a capacity slightly greater than the maximum load that is to be placed at any time upon the boiler and that the superheating coil 14 shall have a capacity for superheating the steam somewhat for the normal amount of water in the boiler and a greater amount for a low condition of the water in the boiler.

While I have shown my invention in the particular embodiment herein described, I do not, however, limit myself to this particular arrangement or construction of parts, since equivalent boiler constructions may be employed and other arrangements of mechanism may be used which will secure equivalent results.

'What I claim is:

1.' The method of indicating water level in a boiler from which the steam flows which method consists in generating steam, more or less wet according to the level of water in the boiler, heating the steam, and causing theflowing steam thus heated to act upon a thermally responsive indicator to indicate the level? of: waterin'the boiler.

2. 1n combination a water tube boiler the tubes of which arel adapted tobe heated above the water level, said boiler beingprovided'with a 'superheater, a steam delivery pipe, a heat responsive device incontact with the" steam delivered-from the superl1eater, and a gage graduatedini terms of water level, said gage connected with said heat responsive device'and showing by its indication the level of the water in'the boiler; 1 I

3. In: combination-a boiler having a va riable-steam space,-means toheat'said variable steam space to a temperature higher than the temperature of the water in the boiler, a delivery pipe for: steam, a heat responsive device in contact with the delivered steam and a gage or indicator connected to said heat responsive-device, said'gage or in,

dicator being level.

l. In a system of water indlcatlon for graduated in terms of water boilers, the combination of aboiler having a variable water level and having a heating surface extending above said water level, a super-heating coll, a delivery plpe connected thereto, a throttle valve between the boiler and the super-heating coil, a chamber connected with the delivery pipe of the superheating coil, a steam pipe extending from the chamber, a heat responsive element in said chamber, and a. gage for indicating the quantity of water in the boiler, said heat responsive element having a flexible conducting medium between the heat responsive device and the gage.

5. In a system of water indication for boilers, the combination of a boiler having a variable steam space in contact with the fire, a steam delivery pipe from the boiler, including a superheating' coil, a metal chamber connected in the pipe beyond the superheating coil, a tube extending from the metal chamber to deliver the steam from the superheating coil, a heat responsive device located sitive device in said chamber, and connect sensitive devlce and the gauge.

ing means between the 7. In a system of water indication for boilers, the combination of'a boiler having a iae variable water level and a heating surface extending above the Water level, a pipe for delivering steam from the boiler to an en gine to be driven thereby, a thermally sensitive element subject to the steam in said pipe, a gage for indicating the Water content of the boiler, and means connecting the gage With said sensitive element for operating the gage according to the quantity of Water in the boiler.

8. In a system of Water indication for boilers, the combination of a boiler, having a Variable Water level and a heating surface extending above the Water level, a pipe for delivering steam from the boiler, a gage for indicating the Water content of the boiler, a thermally expansive element subject to the steam in said delivery pipe, and means for communicating expansion from the thermallyexpansive element to the gage proportionately to the temperature changes in the thermally expansive element.

9. In a system of Water indication for boilers, the combination of a boiler, having Copies of this patent may be obtained for a variable Water level and a heating surface extending above the Water level, a steam delivery pipe from the boiler, a gage for indicating the Water content of the boiler, a thermally controlled device, connecting the gage with the steam delivery pipe for operating the gage to indicate the quantity of Water in the boiler by changes in the tem perature of the steam delivered therefrom.

10. The method of indicating Water level in a boiler which consists in generating steam from the water, applying heat to said steam as it moves from the Water level to the exit, then measuring the Water level by means responsive to the temperature of the steam thus heated.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 29th day of February, A. D. 1912.

ALBERT C. BELL, ALBIN C. AHLBERG.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 

